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The Best Aerial Views of Hawaii

“What a sight, those exotic scenes of delight...waiting for you and me.” Elvis said it best in “Paradise, Hawaiian Style" in the 1960s, and the sentiment remains today. Hawaii is paradise and you'll want to catch a first glimpse with the best seat in the house—window seats. But which flights offer the most photogenic views? Condé Nast Traveler headed to the Kaneohe Bay Airshow on Oahu and asked two Hawaiian Airlines pilots—Jim and Dave—to share their favorite scenic routes across the islands.

The Best Aerial Views of Hawaii

“What a sight, those exotic scenes of delight...waiting for you and me.” Elvis said it best in “Paradise, Hawaiian Style" in the 1960s, and the sentiment remains today. Hawaii is paradise and you'll want to catch a first glimpse with the best seat in the house—window seats. But which flights offer the most photogenic views? Condé Nast Traveler headed to the Kaneohe Bay Airshow on Oahu and asked two Hawaiian Airlines pilots—Jim and Dave—to share their favorite scenic routes across the islands.

Los Angeles to Honolulu, Oahu (LAX - HNL)

It may come as a surprise that the highest trafficked route between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii also happens to be one of the most scenic, but it’s true. Departing from LAX means leaving the continent behind with a last glimpse of beach below, and then it’s out over the Pacific until, several hours later, the captain makes an announcement to open the window shades and have a look. Passengers on both sides are typically treated to a geography lesson of the Hawaiian Islands, with the left-hand side spying the Big Island and Lanai while the right-hand side glimpses Molokai and Oahu’s Diamond Head volcano before lining up for landing.

Kahului, Maui to Hilo, Big Island (OGG - ITO)

Jim, a captain who regularly flies Hawaiian’s inter-island routes, favors the dramatic topography of the Big Island: "Going into Hilo from Maui, on the right side you get a view of the volcanic coastline of the north shore of the Big Island. I really enjoy it."

Lihue, Kauai to Kahului, Maui (LIH - OGG)

"When we fly to Maui from Kauai and the winds are Kona winds—out of the south—we fly around the north side of Molokai," says First Officer Dave. "On a clear day, you get an amazing view of the sea cliffs of Molokai. It’s hard to beat.”

Lihue, Kauai and back (LIH)

A generally beloved Hawaii excursion is a sightseeing helicopter tour, leaving from Kauai’s Lihue Airport, that does a lap around the island. Beginning with a view down to Nawiliwili Bay, where outrigger teams regularly practice in the calm waters, the usual route includes flying over taro fields, famous surf breaks like the one at Tunnels Beach, remote waterfalls, the deep and wild Waimea Canyon, and the undulating cliffs of the rugged Napali Coast. One company—Island Helicopters—even has the exclusive rights to land at the foot of the majestic Manawaiopuna Falls, which made a cameo in the original Jurassic Park film and now has the nickname of “Jurassic Park Falls.”

Honolulu, Oahu to Pago Pago, American Samoa (HNL - PPG)

On this ride, it’s more about what you don’t see. The nearly six-hour flight goes south from Honolulu over mostly ocean, but variations in the route may offer glimpses of the remote islands of Kiribati or Tokelau. The unseen is the international date line, which the plane passes over twice, meaning you travel into the future by nearly an entire day—for a span of an hour or two. The odd positioning of the time zones in this region of the South Pacific causes a massive 22-hour difference between the time at the flight’s destination and the islands over which it’s passing. For example, when it’s 8 a.m. on a Monday in Honolulu or Pago Pago, it’s 6 a.m. Tuesday in Kiribati. This route allows its passengers to say they’ve been to tomorrow and back!

Kahului, Maui to Kona, Big Island (OGG - KOA)

This 45-minute route is popular with Hawaii residents looking to weekend on another island, whether that means traveling from the beaches of Maui to the lush forests and lava fields of the Big Island, or vice versa. The trip takes fliers over the Maui Channel between the two islands, with a view to Kaho’olawe, an uninhabited island once used for target practice by the U.S. military; it's now a reserve being cleared of unexploded ordnances so the land can be used again by native Hawaiians.

Molokai to Lanai (MKK - LNY)

The flight from Molokai to Lanai is the shortest of the Hawaiian Airlines routes, a mere 20 minutes in the sky on an ‘Ohana turboprop aircraft. It is, however, the closest a traveler can get on a commercial flight to experiencing a bit of what it was like to travel from island to island during the early days of air travel in Hawaii. Both Molokai and Lanai are reputed for their devotion to preserving the native Hawaiian culture and ecology; there are no high-rise buildings and the airports are small. After all, the entire island of Lanai was once one big pineapple plantation and, since the island is only 140 square miles in size and the airport is located on its south side, flying in from the north means a full view of it from on high before landing.